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Monday, 22 August 2011

36. 3ds Max Quicktip: Revit FBX Scale

First of all, this shouldn’t need to be said, but if your using Revit inconjunction with 3ds Max 2009+ then you really should be using FBX as the file format to import with. There’s a wealth of information out their which explains best practices and workflow procedures including two Autodesk Whitepapers. (Note: that some of the information is out of date, as this information is evolving rapidly. For instance you can use the ‘File Link Manager’ with FBX’s now.) Anyway, I digress.

So now onwards to the tip: One area that is often overlooked however when using FBX inconjunction with Revit, is the scaling options contained with the FBX file import process.

I recommend that you ensure you are using ‘Inches’ as scene units when importing your FBX file. If your reading in the US, then this wont be an issue, however if your using 3ds Max in Europe for instance, your probably using millimetres The internal scaling of an FBX assumes you are importing as Inches and as such you can sometimes be confronted by some scaling issues within 3ds Max, if using a scale other than this. for example, a wall that is 4 inches long, rather than 4 feet. (Revit’s default is often Feet.)

So today’s tip is always use Inches when importing Revit FBX files into 3ds Max. This will ensure the scaling of imported objects is correct and that the automatic mapping is accurate.

Whilst we are briefly discussing FBX, its also worth mentioning you can download a free viewer for QuickTime, that allows you to view your FBX file, as well as play any stored animation directly in QuickTime. You can download this viewer by clicking here (as well as convertors, and updates.)

Comments

36. 3ds Max Quicktip: Revit FBX Scale

First of all, this shouldn’t need to be said, but if your using Revit inconjunction with 3ds Max 2009+ then you really should be using FBX as the file format to import with. There’s a wealth of information out their which explains best practices and workflow procedures including two Autodesk Whitepapers. (Note: that some of the information is out of date, as this information is evolving rapidly. For instance you can use the ‘File Link Manager’ with FBX’s now.) Anyway, I digress.

So now onwards to the tip: One area that is often overlooked however when using FBX inconjunction with Revit, is the scaling options contained with the FBX file import process.

I recommend that you ensure you are using ‘Inches’ as scene units when importing your FBX file. If your reading in the US, then this wont be an issue, however if your using 3ds Max in Europe for instance, your probably using millimetres The internal scaling of an FBX assumes you are importing as Inches and as such you can sometimes be confronted by some scaling issues within 3ds Max, if using a scale other than this. for example, a wall that is 4 inches long, rather than 4 feet. (Revit’s default is often Feet.)

So today’s tip is always use Inches when importing Revit FBX files into 3ds Max. This will ensure the scaling of imported objects is correct and that the automatic mapping is accurate.

Whilst we are briefly discussing FBX, its also worth mentioning you can download a free viewer for QuickTime, that allows you to view your FBX file, as well as play any stored animation directly in QuickTime. You can download this viewer by clicking here (as well as convertors, and updates.)